what is your wash/wax philosophy?

[07ROUSHSTG3]

ok, i finally got the car out, i could not wait any longer, now i have to wash it. what is your washing technique for your cars. i purchased a clay bar for the first time, anyone use them, or don't use them for any reason? i have heard conflicting reports. i got a buddy that does a great job but he lives by the buffer and i don't like having the thing buffed like crazy. from what he has told me he said he would never clay a car, says it will scratch the clearcoat. i figure he might just want me to pay him to wash it so he tells me things like that. i have heard of the 2 bucket way, that seems good, but what kind of soap and mitt do you use? i purchased some Mcquires wax along with the clay bar and an extra bottle of showtime. is it alright to just use the Showtime stuff with a microfiber towel after cleaning it or is that stuff something that should only be used once in a while. any tips are appreciated!

[Yooformula]

Zaino is great stuff, I am now trying Tropic-care stuff but for the most part I have found that no one company makes everything perfect so I pick what works best from each.

[07ROUSHSTG3]

what is the Zaino? is it a wax or a soap, or what?

[Karps TA]

Zaino is a whole wash and polishing system. www.zainostore.com.

Lots of great tips on the site as well.

[Breecher_7]

Zaino is the way to go, pricy, but the way to go!

[GRM-REPR]

Zaino is great stuff, I am now trying Tropic-care stuff but for the most part I have found that no one company makes everything perfect so I pick what works best from each.

Agreed. I actually got my first bottle of it from some MFBA members when they did car shows at B.K (before BCM?) on Moreland and Coffee.

Nothing beats a bucket wash and a hand wax application in my opinion. You only need to buff a car every couple of years. I learned all my tricks when I was out of h.s at a body shop.

[WilliamZ]

Use a good car wash soap. I use Meguiars. I like using clay. Only when needed though. It helps get the stubborn impurities out of the paint. The Lexus needs to be clayed now because of the winter. After I clay the entire car I will use a paint cleaner with a wool pad to take out any scratches. Then I will use a variable high speed polisher with 3M polishing compound over the whole car with a 3M black foam pad. After that I will hand wax with Meguiars liquid Tech Wax. Your Stang is pretty new and if the paint is decent I would go over it with some 3M polish with a polisher and hand wax it. Should be good as new again.

[fly5150]

The buffer ninja to the rescue.

[Yooformula]

Agreed. I actually got my first bottle of it from some MFBA members when they did car shows at B.K (before BCM?) on Moreland and Coffee.
what were you driving back then? Any shows at any BK here has been BCM members. We used the mfba board and hung out once in a while with them but we were the same group.

[GRM-REPR]

what were you driving back then? Any shows at any BK here has been BCM members. We used the mfba board and hung out once in a while with them but we were the same group.

I had a red 97' T.A and my younger bro (Nix2000TA) had a red 94' Z28. I remember talkin' with you and a bunch of the members years ago at B.K, and i remember you guy's sellin' me a bottle of Z.....good stuff.

Heck, we and (the ex) would come down to BW3's on Water when you worked there, you gave us free brew lol. I haven't had that T.A for over 4 years......:goof

[Brandon W.]

get in...turn key... go to local car wash...pay $5....drive through..close windows and crank up the music.....after the machine stops going i drive slow so the blower dries my car...but ya know im old fashioned so there ya have it.

[nismodave]

Mequiers Car wash, Mequiers HOT RIMS cleaner, A good sponge, and an Absober.

To take off bugs and tar, the pads made by Excellawash are AMAZING!!

Turtle Wax ICE for my wax, When I use cleaner wax I apply with my orbital.

Eagle One Wet for a Quick Detailer.

I have tried most everything out there, and for the $$ those work the best for me.

I have given up on touchless washes for my daily (Nissan only gets hand washed. They never got it truely clean. Now I go to a self wash with my Sponge, hit it with soap, sponge it, rinse, then absorber it dry.

[Reverend Cooper]

my theory if you dont touch the car it wont get scratched. you will never see me use a mit. use high pressure at the car wash dry with a chammy only. i use klasse wax and klasse paint sealer with a damp microfiber sponge to apply. get out of the habit of wash mitts guys they do nothing but harm

[PureSound15]

Turtle Wax ICE for my wax, applied with my orbital
You apply ice with a polisher? I love that stuff because it shines up and protects any rubber or plastic (nice for not having to worry about mirrors and rubber strips around doors and sunroof) but it doesn't seem to last real long.

As for Clay scratching the clear coat, that's completely incorrect. Simply claying a car after a wash will make it feel smoother than if you had applied wax to the imperfect paint. Wax/sealant over the top of a clayed car is a beautiful thing.

[GRM-REPR]

my theory if you dont touch the car it wont get scratched. you will never see me use a mit. use high pressure at the car wash dry with a chammy only. i use klasse wax and klasse paint sealer with a damp microfiber sponge to apply. get out of the habit of wash mitts guys they do nothing but harm

Have you seen someone at a self serve bay and use that brush?!!?!?!!?! that thing scratches more than anything...i wouldn't use it on a beater...:durr

[PureSound15]

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/autopia_1941_18677144

I like the Rejex stuff too!

[nismodave]

You apply ice with a polisher? I love that stuff because it shines up and protects any rubber or plastic (nice for not having to worry about mirrors and rubber strips around doors and sunroof) but it doesn't seem to last real long.

As for Clay scratching the clear coat, that's completely incorrect. Simply claying a car after a wash will make it feel smoother than if you had applied wax to the imperfect paint. Wax/sealant over the top of a clayed car is a beautiful thing.

You know what man...........You are right.......I forgot I use the pad for it.

I use the orbital when I use Cleaner Wax

[Reverend Cooper]

Have you seen someone at a self serve bay and use that brush?!!?!?!!?! that thing scratches more than anything...i wouldn't use it on a beater...:durr

dood that makes me sick to my stomach to see the big redneck diesel truck in the wash bay with the chew spiting sheep humper scrubbin the mud and cow shit off with that brush,then the next dood goes in there and rubs all the rocks and shit on their new cars paint......gives me goose bumps thinking about it

[Slow Joe]

:rolf Last time I had my car cleaned up I paid off a guy in the detail dept at EVS to do it :durr Then again I worked there then...

I guess I should be taking notes right now since ALL of our cars need to be cleaned like no other!!

[Breecher_7]

Ill use the brush at the carwash somtimes, but ill spray it out with the pressure washer first. It could be worse........

[Reverend Cooper]

lolol ^ not much

[wikked]

my theory if you dont touch the car it wont get scratched. you will never see me use a mit. use high pressure at the car wash dry with a chammy only. i use klasse wax and klasse paint sealer with a damp microfiber sponge to apply. get out of the habit of wash mitts guys they do nothing but harm

The high pressure touchless doesn't get it all off, no matter how hard you try.

I'd come out of those touchless sometimes, and you could clearly see where the car was still dirty in some areas where it doesn't hit as good.

If you use a chamois after, and you don't have the light dirt film off, you're doing alot more harm than good.

2¢

[Reverend Cooper]

^ i am not talking about the touchless you do nothing carwash io am talking about the hand held sprayers. the dirt not coming off easy in the lazy mans wash is a direct result of poor waxing and paint sealing. look at my car some time after i take it to the self serve. shit it takes the rubber outta my wheel wells and off the paint it should clean your car too

[Slow Joe]

I need to get the rubber out of my wheel wells... And the wheel wells of Kristie's convertible too.... :rolf :rolf

[Reverend Cooper]

why sis i get some on your cars by accident? lolololol